My Vacation

I know that I will either get slammed pretty good or totally ignored with this post but I can not go without saying something.
This is my reality.
I have been coming to Seagrove and Grayton for about 15 years now. I have stayed in several places throughout the area. All of the houses have been very nice and the beaches were beautiful. My family and I have always had a wonderful and memorable time. We always have had a large group varying in age from 72 yrs to 3 yrs. After my mother passed away we wanted to continue the tradition and I thought it was a wonderful way to let my children and grand children and nieces and nephews have fun together and have at least one week a year to see each other. My family comes from as far away as Caracas and as close as around the corner from me. I spend all year long planning this vacation. I have researched and planned and feel like I know everything there is to know about the area. At one time I had high expectations of being able to live there(that is now a futile dream since the properties are so outrageously expensive). I look for just the right house that will accomodate all that are going, that has a pool for the younger children, easy beach access especially so we can keep up with the teenagers, a view of the water (beacuse we can't afford to stay right on the water), within walking distance of shops and restaurants so we don't have to get in the car if we don't want to. This year we found what I thought to be the perfect house, it had everything, I was so excited.
I work 7 days a week, every week, all year to be able to afford this one week for my family. I am not rich but I love to give this to them.
I know that no one has any control over the weather or natural disasters. I know that most of the people that own houses there and that live and work there are very nice and kind. I got on this site mainly to try and get information about any damage. It has been very helpful for that and I appreciated it. I have not appreciated hearing about the bad renters or how I should be made to feel guilty about not wanting especially to spend my vacation cleaning the beach.
So Saturday morning we will get in the car and drive 8 hours and try to find the beach and have a wonderful time.

I know that I will either get slammed pretty good or totally ignored with this post but I can not go without saying something.
This is my reality.
I have been coming to Seagrove and Grayton for about 15 years now. I have stayed in several places throughout the area. All of the houses have been very nice and the beaches were beautiful. My family and I have always had a wonderful and memorable time. We always have had a large group varying in age from 72 yrs to 3 yrs. After my mother passed away we wanted to continue the tradition and I thought it was a wonderful way to let my children and grand children and nieces and nephews have fun together and have at least one week a year to see each other. My family comes from as far away as Caracas and as close as around the corner from me. I spend all year long planning this vacation. I have researched and planned and feel like I know everything there is to know about the area. At one time I had high expectations of being able to live there(that is now a futile dream since the properties are so outrageously expensive). I look for just the right house that will accomodate all that are going, that has a pool for the younger children, easy beach access especially so we can keep up with the teenagers, a view of the water (beacuse we can't afford to stay right on the water), within walking distance of shops and restaurants so we don't have to get in the car if we don't want to. This year we found what I thought to be the perfect house, it had everything, I was so excited.
I work 7 days a week, every week, all year to be able to afford this one week for my family. I am not rich but I love to give this to them.
I know that no one has any control over the weather or natural disasters. I know that most of the people that own houses there and that live and work there are very nice and kind. I got on this site mainly to try and get information about any damage. It has been very helpful for that and I appreciated it. I have not appreciated hearing about the bad renters or how I should be made to feel guilty about not wanting especially to spend my vacation cleaning the beach.
So Saturday morning we will get in the car and drive 8 hours and try to find the beach and have a wonderful time.

Drive carefully and enjoy your time with your family! Oh and :welcome:

Well, Physes' post has made me want to post my feelings too. We feel the same way as you; you couldn't have said it better, actually. When the hurricane started to head toward the panhandle, I sent a post and flippantly remarked that we had canceled our flights, rental car and cottage and were heading to Cabo San Lucas instead. Well, we searched and searched and decided that there is NOTHING anywhere in this world that is as beautiful as the beaches in SoWal or the Panhandle!! Nowhere. So, after reading numerous posts, we think we will drive down in August (not fly), and still have a "real" vacation!! We're excited again.

~ It just wouldn't be the same anywhere else ~

Change your username? :idontno: :rofl:

Just my two pesos worth..
I'll still be coming down, because no other place around is like Seagrove Beach. My dream in life would be to actually be able to live there.. but as it is, I look forward to this trip all year long.. start counting the days down in oh.. say, March. I know it won't be the same beach we loved last year, but that's okay.
And while I do think it's horribly unfair to resent people who are/were enjoying their vacations instead of boarding up windows, I understand that it must be stressful (understatement of the year?) to have everything you've worked for threatened, and people are definitely not at their best at a time like this. Some of the post-Dennis pics I've seen made me want to cry, and I don't have anything invested in the area but a few years worth of beautiful memories.
I also think, though, that people shouldn't be made to feel guilty if they decide to vacation elsewhere this year. I know the pools and restaurants are open, but really.. why spend a couple thousand dollars and a long drive (or flight) to do things that you can do at home? I mean.. I would cancel my trip to Orlando if Disneyworld burned down. And, living in KY.. if I had people coming in for the KY Derby, and the race was cancelled, I would certainly understand if they weren't so keen on coming.
Anyway, we'll be there. We actually did discuss going somewhere else, because we're bringing my 14 month old niece, and my disabled mother, and not having direct beach access (which is what we paid extra for gulf-front for, after all) will be inconvenient at best. But it just boiled down to this: Seagrove on its worst day is better than any other beach on its best. :wub:

Personally, I believe any decision made on where to spend your vacation is totally up to you, and if you come here out of guilt, shame on you. (Guilt comes from within. It is your subconscious mind coming through.)

A comment was made refering to Disney World burning down. You are so off track. The beach is not under water. We still have a beach, it just looks different than yesterday. It goes through constant change and is never the same beach upon which you have walked. There is an old proverb, "You can never step into the same river twice."

Regarding guilt for picking up trash, it is your vacation. If you feel guilty about watching others pick up trash, pitch in (pun intended). If not, take out the trash you bring in. Personally, I don't pick up trash in my backyard only. When I am on vacation and I see trash in front of me on the sidewalk, I have no problem reaching down to collect and dispose of some debis. I like to set examples, but certainly, I never expect to see everyone who watches me set a good example, simultaneously do the same thing. If I can encourage one in one thousand to do something beneficial, it is worth my time and effort, which is very little anyway.

So many people take off their conscious thinking caps when they try to relax, but in my opinion, going on vacation has nothing to do with putting on the dumb/I-cannot-read-or-think cap.

...going on vacation has nothing to do with putting on the dumb/I-cannot-read-or-think cap.

Personally, I believe any decision made on where to spend your vacation is totally up to you, and if you come here out of guilt, shame on you. (Guilt comes from within. It is your subconscious mind coming through.)

A comment was made refering to Disney World burning down. You are so off track. The beach is not under water. We still have a beach, it just looks different than yesterday. It goes through constant change and is never the same beach upon which you have walked. There is an old proverb, "You can never step into the same river twice."

Regarding guilt for picking up trash, it is your vacation. If you feel guilty about watching others pick up trash, pitch in (pun intended). If not, take out the trash you bring in. Personally, I don't pick up trash in my backyard only. When I am on vacation and I see trash in front of me on the sidewalk, I have no problem reaching down to collect and dispose of some debis. I like to set examples, but certainly, I never expect to see everyone who watches me set a good example, simultaneously do the same thing. If I can encourage one in one thousand to do something beneficial, it is worth my time and effort, which is very little anyway.

So many people take off their conscious thinking caps when they try to relax, but in my opinion, going on vacation has nothing to do with putting on the dumb/I-cannot-read-or-think cap.

Personally, I believe any decision made on where to spend your vacation is totally up to you, and if you come here out of guilt, shame on you. (Guilt comes from within. It is your subconscious mind coming through.)

A comment was made refering to Disney World burning down. You are so off track. The beach is not under water. We still have a beach, it just looks different than yesterday. It goes through constant change and is never the same beach upon which you have walked. There is an old proverb, "You can never step into the same river twice."

Regarding guilt for picking up trash, it is your vacation. If you feel guilty about watching others pick up trash, pitch in (pun intended). If not, take out the trash you bring in. Personally, I don't pick up trash in my backyard only. When I am on vacation and I see trash in front of me on the sidewalk, I have no problem reaching down to collect and dispose of some debis. I like to set examples, but certainly, I never expect to see everyone who watches me set a good example, simultaneously do the same thing. If I can encourage one in one thousand to do something beneficial, it is worth my time and effort, which is very little anyway.

So many people take off their conscious thinking caps when they try to relax, but in my opinion, going on vacation has nothing to do with putting on the dumb/I-cannot-read-or-think cap.